Candidates file in Russellville, Dover, PottsvilleTwo candidates have filed for a position on the Dover School Board, while one has filed for a Pottsville School Board position and another for an at-large seat on the Russellville School Board. Dover School Board member Michael S. Robbins and Mark O. Evans filed for Robbins’ seat on Tuesday at the Pope County Clerk’s Office. Incumbent Blake Herren filed for his seat on the Pottsville School Board. Russellville School Board member Wesley E. Whi...

Taylor named principal at Hector HighHECTOR — Mark Taylor was hired as Hector High School Principal during a special Hector School Board meeting called Monday. He will retain his present position as senior high head football coach, resign as junior high and seventh-grade football coach, and be hired as an assistant junior high coach. In other personnel actions, the board moved Kyle Russell from his present position as junior high assistant football coach to junior high head coach...

Garvan Woodland Gardens and Crystal BridgesOn March 31, 2015, Tech Travel hosted its first day trip of 2015, a tour of Garvan Woodland Gardens. Garvan Woodland Gardens is nestled in the Ouachita Mountains in Southwest Arkansas, near Hot Springs. Garvan Woodland Gardens is a great example of The Natural State at its best. According to its website, “Garvan Woodland Gardens’ mission is to preserve and enhance a unique part of the Ouachita environment; provide people with a place of learni...

McCarley named new Lamar elementary principalLAMAR — The Lamar School Board named Mike McCarley as its new elementary school principal during a special meeting on Monday. McCarley will replace 17-year-veteran Pam Terry, who served as principal for 12 years. Terry took a job at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville as an associate professor of education, where she will direct teachers in gaining field experience. McCarley has been the assistant principal at Dover since 2012, but he ...

School board approves flood insurance, make-up workThe Russellville School Board approved $17,003.72 in allocated funds for special flood and excess flood insurance coverage for Dwight Elementary School and updated the district’s make-up work policy during a special meeting on Thursday. The Russellville School District already had flood insurance for all of its schools, but Dwight Elementary is located within a designated A/E flood zone area, which by law requires the district to purchase an a...

Pottsville outsources food program POTTSVILLE — The Pottsville School Board awarded its food service management contract to Chartwells during its regular June 16 meeting, opting not to renew some employees’ contracts under the condition that they would be rehired by the independent company. Pottsville Superintendent Larry Dugger said the district chose to outsource its food management operations to boost a financial area that’s been sagging for the past few years. “With all of ...

Governor open to bids for education test providerLITTLE ROCK — Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday he’s open to Arkansas considering multiple proposals from standardized testing companies after he ordered education officials to drop out of an assessment linked to the Common Core standards. A day after directing state officials to withdraw from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Consortium, the Republican governor said he believed there was time to issue a reques...

Clarksville SB approves millage increaseCLARKSVILLE — The Clarksville School Board approved a proposed 7.9-millage increase that, if approved by voters in September, will go toward constructing a new high school building and a new gymnasium, as well as renovating current football facilities and storm shelters. Assistant Superintendent Steven Wyatt said the vote passed unanimously 5-0 at its regular June 16 meeting. If the public votes in favor of the millage increase, plans for cons...

Hutchinson open to bidding for new education test providerLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Tuesday he's open to Arkansas considering multiple proposals from standardized testing companies after he ordered education officials to drop out of an assessment linked to the Common Core standards. A day after directing state officials to withdraw from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Consortium, the Republican governor said he believed there was time to issue a r...

New Little Rock superintendent discusses plans for districtLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Little Rock lawyer hired to lead a financially strapped school district now controlled by the state said Tuesday that he's cut about $12.5 million from the district's budget and made other positive changes since taking the helm two months ago. Speaking to the Political Animals Club during a luncheon at the Governor's Mansion, Baker Kurrus called himself a "nontraditional superintendent" who was focusing on running the la...

RSD Summer Enrichment Program As many as 171 K-5 students in the Russellville School District have spent three weeks at Upper Elementary 5th Grade (UE5G) for the third-annual Summer Enrichment Program where they learned about various job opportunities and explored their career interests. “The Best Me I Can Be” is the program’s theme, and coordinators Krista Malin and Julieanne Hilton agreed the three units of focus aided students in becoming the most productive and educate...

Key asks education leaders to seek excellenceJohnny Key, commissioner of the Arkansas Department of Education, spoke to a group of Arkansas Tech University graduate students last week and encouraged the future K-12 school leaders to raise the bar for education in the Natural State. “My vision is it’s time to move the conversation beyond adequacy to excellence,” said Key. “There are many facets of what excellence looks like. Communities will define excellence for their students. I want to...

Dover School Board approves policy changesDOVER — The Dover School Board dealt with a number of policy and personnel matters during Thursday’s brief monthly meeting. High School Principal Jo Lynn Taverner reported on some small policy changes in graduation requirements, the most substantial of which were the replacement of a compulsory full credit of civics with a half credit of civics and a half credit of economics and the addition of a computer class to the curriculum which could, d...

ATU athletes earn award nominationsArkansas Tech Golden Sun Rebecka Surtevall and Wonder Boys Patrick Castleberry and Jason Purdy are among the list of this year’s nominees for the Great American Conference male and female scholar athletes of the year and male and female scholar athletes of the year. The winners will be announced during Monday night’s GAC Night of Champions at the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City. Administrators from the 11 current members of the l...

Dover School Board aproves policy changesDOVER — The Dover School Board dealt with a number of policy and personnel matters during Thursday's brief monthly meeting. High School Principal Jo Lynn Taverner reported on some small policy changes in graduation requirements, the most substantial of which were the replacement of a compulsory full credit of civics with a half credit of civics and a half credit of economics and the addition of a computer class to the curriculum which could, d...

Middle school bidding to start next weekDOVER — The final amended drawings and plans for Dover’s new middle school are completed and the bidding process will begin next week, with sealed bids expected to be opened July 14, according to Superintendent Jerry Owens during Thursday's School Board meeting. Board member Tom Hill, who represented the board at numerous planning sessions, said the planning had been done on an “extremely aggressive time schedule” with “intensive meetings and ...

Crafton Tull supports new GAC scholar awardsThe Great American Conference (GAC) announced a partnership with Crafton Tull to create new awards programs for the conference’s student-athletes on Thursday. The Crafton Tull/GAC Elite Scholar award will be presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating in each of the conference’s postseason championship tournaments. Additionally, all GAC student-athletes participating in postseason tournaments ...

ATU scholarship would aid parents of some studentsParents of first-generation college students at Arkansas Tech University will soon be able to take one course at the institution with no charge for tuition or fees. The Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees gave its approval for the initiative during a meeting at the Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center on Thursday. “Perhaps this offer will serve as a launching point toward academic goals that were deferred earlier in life,” said Dr. Robin...

Pottsville fund raiserThe Pottsville Middle Grades GT students raised $1,100 for The Russ Bus during May by holding a used book sale and a bake sale at Vintage Books on East Parkway Drive in Russellville.

School Board approves bus parking areaThe Russellville School Board approved $12,508.61 for supplies and labor to create a bus parking area by the nearly completed Cyclone Gymnasium during its regular Tuesday meeting. The allocated funds will be used for asphalt, concrete and grading work. Board member Morgan Barrett said the cost was reasonable, and now was the best time to go forward with the work. Van Horn Construction Vice President Chad Weisler gave a report on the $12.5 mill...